Windows XP is the most popular operating system on the planet--and the most annoying. From incomprehensible error messages to inexplicable crashes, from wonky wireless setups to just finding a file, Windows can make your computing life a nightmare. But thanks to Fixing Windows XP Annoyances, you can banish the bugs, speed up operations, and just make Windows work right. Inspired by author David Karp's Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks, this all-new tome pulls together tips, tricks, insider workarounds, and fixes for PC novices and pros, in a handy, accessible Q&A format that lets you find the solutions in a flash. Fixing Windows XP Annoyances will not only increase your productivity but lower your blood pressure. Karp's new book covers: Setup and Hardware-Update Windows, reinstall Windows safely, speed up start up, resolve driver-hardware conflicts, and more. Windows Interface-Navigate quickly, fix screen resolution problems, customize the desktop, and switch applications more quickly. Windows Explorer-Force XP's file & folder management application to remember your view settings, save your default application choices, and get XP's Search tool to behave. Multimedia-Having a problem playing a video or burning a CD? Want to do more with your digital photo collection? We have the answers. Web and Email-Get a handle on spyware, spam and pop-ups; protect your privacy online; learn how to improve your online experience. Wireless and Home Networking-Connect all your PCs; share Internet connections; share files and drives securely; make your wireless network purr; share network printers; and more. If you're having a problem, just look through the Table of Contents for the annoyance that most closely matches your problem, or feel free to start thumbing through the pages. You'll likely find a fix to a problem you didn't even know could be solved.

In an ideal world, an operating system would do its work in the background while you did your work in the foreground. In our world, however, operating systems constantly get in the way, and Windows XP is no exception. There hasn't been such a dramatic change in Windows computing since the introduction of Windows 95. Windows XP contains dozens of important new features designed to make your work easier, including improved performance, but also introduces numerous quirks and unaccountable behaviors that are guaranteed to increase your level of perplexity and frustration. O'Reilly's popular series for troubleshooting Windows comes to the rescue with Windows XP Annoyances. This book is not designed to complain or criticize, but to acknowledge the problems and shortcomings of the operating system in order to overcome them. Complete with a collection of tools and techniques, this book allows users to improve their experience with Windows XP and establish control of the machine--rather than the other way around. Based on the author's popular Windows Annoyances web site (http://www.annoyances.org), Windows XP Annoyances offers solutions, tips, workarounds and warnings that enable you to both customize and troubleshoot Windows, including: Understanding the Windows Registry, including the use of the Registry Editor and advanced topics such as finding the right Registry Keys and restoring a corrupted registry Customizing the interface beyond Microsoft's intentions, including many undocumented tweaks Mastering Windows built-in networking capabilities, including advanced technologies such as Internet Connection Sharing, Remote Desktop sharing, and virtual private networking Repairing Windows XP now that the DOS safety net is gone As author David Karp says, "The more you know about a tool you use--specifically, Microsoft Windows XP--the better your day-to-day experience with it will be." Windows XP Annoyances is the intermediate and advanced Windows user's best resource for turning Windows into the user-friendly, customizable interface it was meant to be.

In an ideal world, an operating system would do its work in the background while you did your work in the foreground.In our world, however, operating systems constantly get in the way, and Windows XP is no exception.Windows XP contains dozens of important new features designed to make your work easier, including improved performance, but also introduces numerous quirks and unaccountable behaviors that are guaranteed to increase your level of perplexity and frustration.O'Reilly's popular series for troubleshooting Windows comes to the rescue with "Windows XP Annoyances.This book is not designed to complain or criticize, but to acknowledge the problems and shortcomings of the operating system in order to overcome them.Complete with a collection of tools and techniques, this book allows users to improve their experience with Windows XP and establish control of the machine--rather than the other way around.

Explains how to configure Windows XP for maximum control and flexibility, work effectively with the Registry, take advantage of the built-in firewall, and troubleshoot problems.

In an ideal world, an operating system would do its job in the background, while you did yours in the foreground. In reality, though, operating systems often get in the way, fouling up the process at the most inopportune times. And Windows XP is no exception.O'Reilly's popular series for customizing and troubleshooting Windows once again comes to the rescue with Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks. Offering dozens of on-target tips, workarounds, and warnings, Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks allows users to improve their overall experience with the Windows XP operating system in every way possible.You'll learn how to use the Registry Editor; how to customize the interface beyond Microsoft's own intentions; and how to master Windows' built-in networking capabilities, including advanced technologies such as Internet Connection sharing, Remote Desktop sharing, and virtual private networking. And now, with this updated edition, you can also expect detailed coverage of the newly released Service Pack 2 (SP2) technology.SP2 is designed to make your work with the Windows XP operating system even easier and safer by providing superior protection against viruses, hackers, and worms. Among the core SP2 components covered in Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks are Windows Firewall, Pop-up Blocker for Internet Explorer, and the new Windows Security Center.David Karp, veteran author of several titles in the Windows Annoyances series, is behind the wheel of this comprehensive guide, as well. Karp points out numerous SP2-related quirks and unaccountable behaviors that are guaranteed to increase your level of perplexity and frustration. By recognizing these shortcomings, Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks arms you with the knowledge to overcome them.Karp leaves no stone unturned in providing the ultimate resource for the ever-expanding Windows XP market. As a result, you'll be able to seize complete control of the Windows XP operating system--instead of the other way around.

When an application is part of the Microsoft Office suite, it's sure to be a leader in its field. In the realm of desktop database management, Access is top dog with millions of users. But this is one dog that can bite. Although Access is a powerful, relational tool with the fetching talents of a Labrador, it's not an easy beast to train. Still, millions of users count on Access for everything from managing parts databases to running Web catalogs to working as a front end to mondo SQL databases. But Access is chockablock with annoyances---report hassles, query conundrums, VBA bugs, arcane error messages, and more. O'Reilly's Annoyances series offer real-world help, right now, and Fixing Access Annoyances continues tradition. You'll not only squash bugs and workaround Access' limits, but you'll learn how to use Access to the max, whether you're a newbie or a seasoned pro. Coverage includes install/configuration annoyances, building better tables and queries, creating forms that work right, generating reliable and sophisticated reports, pulling in data from a variety of sources, crafting macros and VBA code to customize Access, and much more. You could grab those other books for help, but do they solve problems from page one? Meet a book of a different stripe. The authors come armed with knowledge of the program's quirks, design hurdles and interface snags. They provide you with battle plans in Fixing Access Annoyances to save you time and bouts of hair pulling. Stop information from spiraling out of control when working with Access and trying to make this #$@@#$ thing work! Don't let its quirks, bugs, and troublemaking features beat you. Who you gonna call for help? Instead of waiting on the line for tech support or searching for the answer on the Internet with its too many resources to find exactly what you need, take control of databases with Fixing Access Annoyances, your partner on database adventures.

Describes how to fix glitches found on a PC, covering such topics as email, Microsoft Windows, the Internet, Microsoft Office, hardware, and music and video